Marina Bay with Suntec City and National Stadium and Kallang in the background.

12/24/2016

Honour is priceless

I wanted to take a dig at Donald Trump and his appointees for diminishing their dignity by accepting incredibly low monetary rewards when they take up their posts on 20 Jan 17. Trump has declined his presidential salary which understandably is worth less than a peanut and instead opt to take a token pay of US$1. Some may find this action stupid, demeaning and insulting the great office of the Presidency of the USA. How can the responsibility and power of the highest and most important office in the world be worth US$1, or how could Donald Trump be worth US$1? He is worth even less than our cleaners. What kind of dignity is he going to garner, what kind of respect is he going to get when he met up with other heads of state and govt or with business leaders that earn in the millions? would Trump feel undignified, ashamed of his low pay, a meagre US$1? I am so tempted to buy him kopi if he visits Singapore. Poor chap, how could he afford Starbucks?

And his team of cabinet secretaries are mostly billionaires and multimillionaires. Take the CEO of Exxon Mobil, Rex Tillerson who has accepted the post of Secretary of State, our equivalent of Foreign Minister. Tillerson is being paid tens of milllions by Exxon but would suffer a huge pay cut in his new appointment, maybe getting something less than US$200k! He is just as insane as Trump to give up his millions, like all the other milllionaire appointees, to become political leaders. Why would these men and women willingly and honourably accept such a huge pay cut without claiming how much they have to sacrifice for the country? And they would have to face greater challenges in their new jobs, one of which is how to adjust their lifestyle with so little pay, how their family members would have to suffer for their bad decisions.

The only answer that I can think of is the silly concept of honour. These men and women are going to serve their country and see that as a great honour that is worth more than anything in monetary terms. Honour is priceless, even if they have to lose a lot of dignity for have a low pay. Yes, honour to some people may be just a useless aspiration that would not bring food on the table. But to these men and women, honour is everything they live for. They would not be caught talking foolishly about how great a sacrifice they have made for the loss of their income, ie money.

Honour cannot be measured by money alone. Honour is simply honour, priceless. It is something that either you have it or you don't. Which is more important, priceless honour or dignity that can be bought by money?

41 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Rb I think I depends which country u are in. In USA honour is definitely more important but in sg dignity is more important. That is why in USA they taking $1 salary but in sg they taking million. Does that make sense to you?

Why would these men and women willingly and honourably accept such a huge pay cut without claiming how much they have to sacrifice for the country?RB

Because to be US President or Secretary of State is much, much more prestigious and dignified than to be PM of peesai Sinkieland mah. So the much, much lower dignity of being Sinkie PM must be well compensated by more, more $$$ lah.

That's why maybe if Trump or Tillerson were Sinkies, they would probably behave like Hsien Loong too, and wanting million dollar salaries to be Sinkie PM or minister. It's only human.

So the much, much lower dignity of being Sinkie PM must be well compensated by more, more $$$ lah. 9:45 am

Tiok. That's why being daft Sinkie PMETs and ruled by the Sinkie PM are even much, much lower in dignity. Deserve to get even much, much lower salary or even be jobless.

Because being Sinkies, they are even more daft or dafter (if there is such a word) than the daft PM who rule them. Or else why would they even allow a daft and high pay but no dignity PM to rule them, tio bo?

狐假虎威 or making use of false impression to deceive others, may not be very apt here. However, the Ploy of falsely enhancing ones' importance, status and sacrifice can becomparable.

Pappies enhance their dignities by first paying themselves sinful amounts to enhance their wealth and hence status. With their authority, wealth and status, they the talk down, expect and even demand obeisience from Sinkies.None ever learn to earn respect and dignity but, demand and coerce for them.

l do not blame the Pappies. lt is the 70% Daft Sinkies that spoils the Pappies lulling them into believingtheir competence and ability.

The Fox should know its' fatewhen it dismounts from the Tiger and that shall be the Day of Reckoning for it.The Day is coming soon.

Here in Singapore it's not dignity or honour. It's GREED lah ! If they have dignity, they would feel shame being cursed by Singaporeans everyday for fattening their own pay checks on taxpayers' money . . .

I think the matilar is not the old matilar as this one is imitation. The real matilar already dead and some previous post said those who attended his funeral some of them spit at his coffin. Terrible death lar mati still Kena insulted. A case of identity theft lar.

What dignity, honour? We have a dignified & dishonourable son gaverning Sinkieland being paid out of this planet celery..whats wrong with collecting more $$$?...in Sinkieland, money is above all dignity, honour & even integrity...cos without $$$ u don't tot bout D,H&I..

What sacrifice? Pls do not blind what these potential office holders will get even after they leave office. Clinton hillary declared made 11millions in 2015 (from tax returns) and 28millions in 2014, and total 237millions for clintons fundations since 2001, after leaving office.

Politicians make money for themselves, not for the poor or needy. Only the real donors giving money to the poor are real in definition of NON GREEDY. Get this clear and very clear.example: donor to politicians especially the influential, the powerful, will not tell the public. The rewards can be in terms of contracts from public works, public funds. You name it. donor to temple, religious organizations but not to "star priest" or "priest cum star", with dollars in pockets are real, as the money will go to needy old folks who queue up at 2am to collect small sums each.

Go with my definition? If you do, all politicians are up for money. No politicians are really serving without taking a lot of money from coffers any where.

With internet, this has already been a fact. U have seen someone from a little city collected 32millions in 12 jobs walking around no real power job. That was almost Clintons couple s hardwork in 2014. I am comparing by figures, no emotion involved.

Clintons espeically hillary worked really hard in 2014 to get into election got 27 millions. One city could reward 32millions to someone walking around. What does that mean? I asked myself. You too?It means: public fund is like waste water to politicians. The waste water can channel to any one. Want to take the waste, no one complain, keep it lah, kakinan. That is the possible attitude. From the line up in Trump s team, those who supported him got into positions, they are kakinan. Will be rewarded if they are greedy similar to clintons, ai huat liao.

Politicians are this kind. But some people still dream of politicians do not like to take public funds to waste. Where can you find such people? In old text books.

Old text books often tell historic figure s good behavior. But out of thousands, you find one of good behavior among the "kwans, kwar, koon," or "officials" or politicians in modern days. Those were dead figures. Dead and live is a difference. Live politicians cannot work like dead one, correct? No greed, is not alive, as far as i see politicians in modern times.

In US, they fought tooth and nail to get to the top because whoever reaches the top will change the game or impact the world. Thats a great honor and priceless

In Sin, they basically need to continue one man's legacy. Your appointment to the top post is essentially predetermined. The chosen one gets groomed, no need to fight tooth and nail, to continue the legacy or maintain Sin. It is more a duty than an honor. The anointed gets heavily compensated and changes nothing or don't expect any radical changes like a funeral procession.

President of USA accepts only US$1 as his annual salary. How is he going to talk with Singapore's Super-Qualified Elected President, Super-Competent and Super-Efficient Prime Minister and Highly Smart and Intelligent Foreign Minister. and other Instant-Millionaire Ministers (including Junior Ministers-of-State who are also Millionaires) with DIGNITY?

I think most probably President Trump will totally avoid visiting Singapore and stop talking to all those who think that without being paid the ostensibly greedy, obscene, exorbitant, unconscionable, shameful salary (making themselves instant millionaires from taxpayers' hard-earned sweat and blood money) is degrading and undignified!

No sick man of asia, these are words. Willing to spend money on missiles? This is real action. No missile to fire, can still shout loud loud against china to gain weight to punch above spur weight. This is the line spur weight little usa cannot ignore.

First. US reported china is moving red flag missiles guess #9 to Hainan, expecting to put at Scs islands. This move violet international laws, endangers freedom of navigation for 7th fleet. Little usa has a say on international laws. Cannot put missiles on Scs under US laws on Scs that little usa is supporting. Little usa must send out its navy to stop this illegal act.

Second. China asked asean nations to form a what meikong river foreign minister meeting to encroach asean unity. Asean members: now are divided into groups under china. This one include Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam which little usa depends on for support. Litle usa has deep porkets, throw out pork not words, will get these countries to oblige orders.Dear leader on holiday, FM is not working? Must voice now.

Sin is a land free for all as it is good to bash up taxi driver or anyone. Operate fly by night and bucket shop businesses with schemes to fleece customers. Driving against traffic flow has just becomes vogue. Vices are available 24/7 beit gambling or sex. lronicallyalcohol consumption is curtailed.

Anon 12:00pmThose were good summary of real examples: serve the "people", grab the funds. You forgot the examples: poke the cb as added benefits for the high position.No joke. One high ranking colonel has wife and kid means has experience in closed room, got charged in court for texting a woman for suggesting sex, in short gave sex demand, The woman was a supplier. There was a similar case resulted jail term in the same organization, a garmen wing.

I hope people look beyond words saying on surface to interpret politicians minds. "what s wrong with making more monies" means he can "make" by grabbing if no one notice. This is the real meaning: it meant stop the complaint, not your money, i have chance to grab, i grab more, nothing to do with you.I agree with him. Go grab it more now that you chance upon it.

Dont pretend as if he is dead, no greed on money. Correct?

However, i want to teach such character to be wise. Grab the money to spend it on yourself, not leaving huge sums for his kids and grand generations.First, get the money to install a bionic penis to screw like robot if need sex. Then he is smart chap.Second, he must get out of the jobs to have time to screw, eat, drain off the fat.Third, install a bionic stomach to digest good foods every meal. Eat drugs that clear off his fat in arteries.

If he cannot do the 3 things, what is the reason to grab so much money?

Give to future generations? Let me tell you, this is the trap where money is created by super nature to kill these very rich still not enuff money grabbers.

Future generations and kids dont need to worry about using both hands to create income, through doing jobs or farming lands. This is absolutely murdering: murder the talents of kids born to this world.Leave some money let kids shelter and eat, but make sure they worry and study and work hard. I think this is a human being s brains function properly. I may be self praising, people do not have to agreed on this view. In other words, grab too much money is dumb, to me.

The leaders sell Sin so well, Sin is uniquely Sin. Nothing wrong about Sin. 70% agree with Sin's leaders. 30% also live in Sin.

Religious leaders also live in Sin pray for Sin bless Sin. All happy with Sin. So, carry on Sin. Nothing wrong. Those see wrong must be blind. Only know how to complain. Live in Sin, eat out of Sin don't complain lah. Sin's leaders are right lah.

In Sin, how to be blind? You can see everywhere what. Sin the best. Number one. Prosperous. Almost everyone owns their flats. Everyone got education. PSLE, all pass. All clever. Where got blind? No blind. Live in Sin, dies in Sin. Logical right? Bless Sin

'Mrs Tan and I are deeply saddened by the Muar bus crash. The accident was especially tragic given that it happened on Christmas Eve, and many of those affected were on their way to celebrate the festive season with their loved ones in Kuala Lumpur.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those affected during this difficult time.'

TT

When the people are happy he is happy. When the people are sad he is sad. He is always with the people, sharing their joy and sorrow.

To Sin people and powerful Man of Sin, Sin has won and justifiable too

However, the world looked on Sin's land clobbering a lone kid, and its consequences, in wonderment

The kid offered himself to be clobbered and mistreated some more. Sin land didn't take the bait but went at it like sashimi for their souls.

The joke is: did Amos deliberately offered a rotten bait? But as it turned out, persecution brought an outcast a ticket out of Sin's land which, with his background and zero achievements, would have been impossible.

I reckon the price he paid for freedom in a beautiful land of possibilities and natural wonders should list him as the wonder boy of the year for such a daring feat? lol

“He’s also been assaulted by members of the public, and by fellow inmates when he was in prison, so the ‘persecution’ is not just from the government – it’s from society at large too. If Amos cannot successfully seek asylum in the one country, for which the very First Amendment in its Bill of Rights is the freedom of speech, where else can he go?” she said.

According to Chen, Yee told her that U.S. jail is “heaven” compared to what he experienced in Singapore, and “if that gives him asylum and freedom, then it is totally worth it”.

‘PSI levels above 400 may be life-threatening to ill and elderly persons. Healthy people may experience adverse symptoms that affect normal...

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As owner of this blog, I bear no responsibility to what other bloggers may post. I encourage all to speak freely without indulging in libel or defamatory content. Anyone who feels offended by any posting can email me and I will remove the offending article if appropriate. Contact me at redbean9@gmail.com